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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Let's talk about Annie Sloan paint. If you're not familiar, Annie Sloan is a mad scientist who created what some tout as the best paint in the world.

If you have had the good fortune to hear about Annie Sloan Chalk paint and have gone a step further to check it out at your local retailer, you see that this miracle paint comes at quite a price. Almost $35 for 32 fluid ounces and when you tack on shipping and handling we're looking at a $47 for a quart of paint. You see to me, a one-income family housewife, who is taking a Dave Ramsey Finance class; this was a frivolous purchase if I ever made one!

I'm NOT hating! Dave WOULD allow this purchase if it was in the budget...and it was!

Nevertheless, there is a lot of hype about this paint among the DIYer crowd, and I don't want to be the last one to the rodeo!

Truthfully in taking this class by Dave Ramsey, I've had this renewed sense that when I purchase something, I want it to be quality, so I'm not replacing or retouching it in six months. In doing my research, I've found the chalk paint created by Annie Sloan is supposed to be just that- Quality.

The story truly begins last fall when I found this vintage table on craigslist. At the time, I was looking for a table with collapsible sides so it would be able to fit into a small space. I loved how this thing could virtually fold up and fit into your purse. Well not that small, but it is very versatile with two collapsing sides and two extenders that can be removed.

As I mentioned before it was a vintage table which translates into, it needed some extra love. This Sprague & Carlton maple dinning set was most likely crafted in the 1950s, and it screams Betty Draper's dinning room, well more like Peggy's mom's dinning room (think Mad Men, then you'll get the joke.) The finish was wearing off the chairs, and the table top desperately needed to be sanded and refinished. With a list, a mile long of things to do with this table set and the weather not cooperating at all, it just sat waiting for a little spray paint, or so I thought.

Sometimes waiting is the best thing that can happen to a project, because it allows us a little time to research. My extensive research (me sitting with a cup of coffee looking at blogs in the morning) led me to Annie Sloan paint. I mean, yeah I've seen it used my Miss Mustard Seed and Censational girl and thought awe that's nice. However, it was sitting on my butt and really thinking about the quality and primer-free coverage that this paint offered that convinced me to try. And try I did!

My order was placed with a local distributor, and I waited with anticipation until my UPS package arrived! I have to admit when that package was finally delivered all I could think was, "Crap, this is small!!" I hoped that it would cover my table and chairs without having to stop halfway through.

I set to work on my first chair. I used a small flat head brush to apply the paint. It was a bit like creating sand art with tweezers, but the finished project was well worth the elbow grease. The finish is beautiful and that stuff really does stick to all surfaces as it promises! I roughed up the edges for a little character, because nothing says, "I've been through years of use" like fake scratches.

When it was all finished I decided to move my dinning room to the next room over. It looks great and there's a lot of space thanks to my table that can fit in my pocket!

The table is next, but I'm going to need a weekend for that one.

Oh and as an extra bonus I still have half a can of paint left and here's what I do with leftover paint. This trick keeps it fresh for up to five years!

Leftover Paint

Pour into a jar. I'm using an old pickle jar ;)

Place a sheet of plastic like a sandwich bag between the lid and the jar.

Label and store. This keeps the paint for up to five years.

There was still precious paint left in the can. So I added a little water to get every last drop. WHAT?! This stuff was over a dollar an ounce and I'm cheap!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Good Monday to you! I have so many happy, wonderful and fun things to share with you this week. I've been so busy it's been so hard to sit down for any length of time a type up posts about what I've been doing. I guess that's life with a teething one year old and sneaky two year old! I'm just hoping to have time to catch up with you soon! In the mean time, I just put together a meal planner for this fine Monday afternoon.

Remember to go to AllYou.com to find the best deals on ingredients in your area!

Ingredients

8 pork chops (1/2 inch thick)

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of
celery soup, undiluted

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (26 ounce) package frozen shredded
hash brown potatoes

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1 (2.8 ounce) can French-fried onions,
divided

Directions

Sprinkle pork chops with seasoned
salt. In a skillet, brown chops on both sides in oil.

1. Preheat the oven to
200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Season the chicken and pour 2 tablespoons
vinegar into the body cavity. Put in a roasting tin and roast for 1
hour 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining
vinegar with the syrup, cinnamon and sesame seeds. Brush half the
mixture over the chicken and roast for a further 10 minutes. Brush
with the remaining glaze and return to the oven for a final 10
minutes, until the chicken is deeply golden and shiny. Rest for 5
minutes before carving. Serve with roasted carrots and leeks.

1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until
al-dente. Drain, coat with half the oil to prevent sticking. Cover
and keep warm 2. Cut sausage into one inch pieces. 3. Heat
a skillet over high heat. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink
in center and lightly brown on outside. Remove to plate with paper
towel, cover to keep warm. Pour out grease in skillet 4. In
same skillet, heat over high, add remaining oil. add shallots. cook
until translucent. Add garlic. Cook an additional 15 seconds. Add
wine and lemon juice away from heat. Cook until almost dry,
scrapping bits from bottom of pan 5. Add heavy cream and
sausage. Cook until cream reduces in half (6. Meanwhile, (If
adding shrimp) heat a dry non-stick skillet over high heat under
high ventilation. Toss shrimp in cajun seasoning to coat, shake off
excess. Cook shrimp just until no longer translucent.) 7. Add
spinach, pasta, and half the Parmesan to the sauce. Toss to coat.
Season with salt and pepper. Cook an additional 30 seconds or until
spinach wilts 8. Divide among 4 bowls. Top with remaining
Parmesan, chives, and shrimp. Serve with crusty french bread.

Ingredients

4 potatoes peeled and cubed

1/2lb.bacon

4 cups chicken broth

1 ½ cups whipping cream

1 cup sharp cheddar

1 bay leaf

2 tsp sage

2 tsp thyme

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. saute bacon in a frying pan.

2. When bacon is crisp and you can
touch it, crumble into pieces and set aside.

3. In the same pan add 2 tablespoons
of butter. When the butter has melted sprinkle in 2 tsp each of the
sage and thyme.

4. To the herbed butter add the
chicken broth, whipping cream, bay leaf and four potatoes

and simmer until the potatoes are
tender.

5. Add the cup of cheese to the stock
and stir until melted through. Add the bacon and stir.

Wrap the
crackers in a kitchen towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any
big bits with your hands, and put them into a large bowl. Finely
chop the parsley, including the stalks. Add the parsley, mustard,
and ground beef to the bowl. Crack in the egg and add a good pinch of
salt and pepper. With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up
well. Divide into 6 and pat and mold each piece into a roundish
shape about 3/4-inch thick. Drizzle the burgers with oil, put on a
plate, cover and place in the refrigerator until needed (this helps
them to firm up).

To cook your burger

Preheat a large
grill pan or frying pan for about 4 minutes on a high heat. Turn the
heat down to medium. Place the burgers on the grill pan or in the
frying pan and use a turner to lightly press down on them, making
sure the burger is in full contact. Cook them to your liking for 3 or
4 minutes on each side — you may need to cook them in two
batches.

To serve your burger

Wash and dry a few
small lettuce leaves, tearing up the larger ones. Slice the tomatoes.
Peel and finely slice the red onion. Slice the pickles lengthways as
thinly as you can. Place all this on a platter and put it in the
middle of the table with plates, cutlery, ketchup, and drinks.
Transfer your burgers to another plate and carefully wipe your
frying pan or grill pan clean with paper towels. Halve your burger
buns and lightly toast them on the grill pan or in the frying pan.
You could also serve your hamburgers with a chopped salad.

Ingredients

1/2 cup prepared salsa

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey

2 large plum tomatoes, diced

1 14-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

8 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine salsa and sour cream in a
large bowl.

Heat oil in a large nonstick
skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring
often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add turkey and cook,
stirring often and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until cooked
through, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, cumin and chili
powder; cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, 2 to
3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup of the
salsa mixture.

Add lettuce to the remaining salsa
mixture in the bowl; toss to coat. To serve, divide the lettuce
among 4 plates, top with the turkey mixture and sprinkle with
cheese.